How can I listen to YouTube while using other apps on Android?

Many Android users want to continue listening to YouTube videos or music in the background while using other apps. By default, YouTube pauses playback when you switch to another app or turn off your device’s screen. However, there are several methods to get around this limitation and listen to YouTube audio in the background on Android.

Enable Picture-in-Picture Mode

One of the easiest ways to listen to YouTube videos while using other apps on Android is to enable Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode. PiP allows you to watch YouTube videos in a small resizable window that floats above other apps on your screen. This way, you can browse other apps or even lock your phone while the YouTube video continues playing.

To enable PiP for YouTube, go to your Android device’s Settings app and select Apps & notifications. Go to Advanced and then Special app access. Select Picture-in-picture and then choose YouTube. Toggle on “Allow picture-in-picture” for YouTube. Now when you watch a YouTube video, you can tap the PiP icon in the top right corner to minimize it into a small floating window. You can drag this window around and resize it while using other apps.

Use a Floating Widget

A floating widget allows you to create a small window that floats over your other apps so you can continue browsing or using other apps while a YouTube video plays. There are a few different apps on the Play Store that provide floating widgets for YouTube.

Some popular floating widget apps for YouTube include Repeat Button for YouTube, VLC, and NewPipe. These apps let you open a small floating window in YouTube and detach it so it floats over your other apps. You can then go back to browsing or using other apps while the YouTube video continues playing in the floating window.

The floating widgets from these apps are resizable and movable, so you can drag them around and resize them as needed. They continue playing the audio from YouTube videos even when minimized or in the background. This makes it easy to multitask while listening to YouTube videos.

Try a Split Screen

One easy way to listen to YouTube videos while using other apps is to take advantage of Android’s split screen mode. This allows you to view two apps at the same time on your device’s screen.

To use split screen mode:

Open the YouTube app and start playing a video.

Tap the Recent Apps button to view your open apps.
In the Recent Apps view, tap the app icon at the top of the YouTube app preview.
Select “Split screen” from the menu.

Choose the second app you want to open from the recent apps list or app drawer.

This will display YouTube on the top half of the screen and your other chosen app on the bottom half. You can now watch your video and use the second app simultaneously. The video soundtrack will keep playing even when the other app is in focus.

To adjust the split screen, drag the divider line to resize the app windows. You can also swap the top and bottom apps by tapping the app icons at the top of each window.

With split screen mode, you can conveniently listen to YouTube videos while browsing the web, texting friends, checking email, and more. Just note that split screen is only available on Android 7.0 Nougat and higher.

Use YouTube Premium

One way to listen to YouTube in the background on Android is by using YouTube Premium. YouTube Premium is a paid subscription service that provides ad-free viewing, offline downloads, and background play on mobile (source). With a YouTube Premium subscription, you can switch to another app or lock your phone while a YouTube video continues playing in the background.

The background play feature is especially beneficial, allowing you to multitask or listen to long videos like podcasts or mixes while using other apps. YouTube Premium also lets you download videos to watch offline later. The subscription works across devices, so you can take your video playlists on the go without an internet connection.

YouTube Premium does come at a cost, with subscription plans starting at $11.99 per month. However, for frequent YouTube viewers, the ad-free experience and ability to play videos in the background may make the paid service worthwhile.

Download Videos to Watch Offline

One of the easiest ways to listen to YouTube videos in the background or offline on Android is to download them directly to your device. There are a few different apps that allow downloading YouTube videos for offline playback:

TubeMate is a popular Android app that makes it easy to download YouTube videos in different resolutions like 1080p, 2K, and 4K. Once installed, open TubeMate and search for the YouTube video you want to download. You’ll see a green download button that lets you save the video to your device (Source). The videos save to your gallery and can be watched even without an internet connection.

X2Mate.com is another option that allows you to paste in a YouTube URL and download the video in HD quality. This can be useful if you want to download longer videos or playlists for offline viewing. X2Mate converts videos to MP4 format and doesn’t require installing any apps (Source).

Downloading YouTube videos for offline playback is a handy way to continue listening to music, podcasts, audiobooks and more even when you don’t have an internet connection. Just be mindful of copyright restrictions when saving copies of videos.

Cast YouTube to a Device

One way to listen to YouTube audio on your Android device while using other apps is to cast the YouTube video to another device, like a smart TV or speaker. This allows the video to play on the casted device, freeing up your Android phone or tablet.

To cast YouTube from your Android device, first ensure your device and the cast device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Open the YouTube app, play a video, and tap the Cast button in the top corner of the video player. Select the device you want to cast to from the list. The video will begin playing on that device.

You can then switch to any other app on your Android device while the YouTube video continues playing on the casted device in the background. This is useful for listening to music or podcasts on YouTube while using other apps. Just make sure to adjust the volume on the speaker or TV you’ve casted to.

For more details, refer to Google’s guides on casting from the YouTube app and casting YouTube TV.

Use a Third-Party App

Third-party Android apps like Vanced and NewPipe allow you to play YouTube videos in the background without a YouTube Premium subscription. These apps are modified versions of the official YouTube app with additional features like background play and ad blocking.

To use Vanced or NewPipe for background YouTube playback:

Download and install the Vanced Manager app or NewPipe from their official websites.

Open the installed Vanced or NewPipe app and log into your YouTube account.
Start playing any YouTube video.
Minimize the app or switch to another app on your phone.

The YouTube audio will continue playing in the background.

An advantage of using these third-party apps is they allow true background playback even with the screen off, unlike YouTube’s built-in background audio feature. The apps also block ads, giving you an uninterrupted listening experience. Just be aware that modified apps like Vanced and NewPipe are not officially supported by Google.

Try Audio-Only Mode

YouTube offers an audio-only playback mode to listen to music and podcasts without the video taking up space or data. This feature minimizes distractions by only playing the audio track of YouTube videos.

To enable audio-only mode in the YouTube Music app for Android:

Open the YouTube Music app and select your profile photo > Settings
Toggle “Don’t play music videos” to enable audio-only playback

With this setting enabled, YouTube Music will only play the audio of songs and videos. You’ll see a still image instead of the actual video during playback. This is an excellent option to save mobile data and battery life.

According to 9to5Google, YouTube Music’s audio-only mode is ideal for listening to music playlists and podcasts without wasting data on unnecessary video streaming. It’s a convenient feature to have when multitasking or enjoying audio content in the background.

Conclusion

Being able to listen to YouTube videos while using other apps on your Android device gives you more flexibility and convenience. There are several good options to achieve this:

Picture-in-Picture Mode is the simplest option if your Android version supports it. Just tap the PIP icon to miniaturize the video and overlay it on top of other apps.

Floating Widgets like Vanced provide a resizable floating window to play YouTube, though it requires sideloading an APK.

Split Screen allows you to view two apps at once, so you can watch YouTube while using other apps.

YouTube Premium lets you play videos with the screen locked or app minimized. This gives you audio playback capabilities.

Downloading videos to watch offline lets you listen like a regular music track. Good for playlists and music videos.

Overall, native options like Picture-in-Picture or Split Screen provide the best seamless experience. Downloading videos is great for uninterrupted listening. And services like YouTube Premium unlock background audio if you want to pay for extra convenience.